This Tuscan White Bean Soup is made with sautéed carrots, onion and celery plus white beans, Italian sausage and kale in a flavorful, creamy tomato-flavored broth. It is a cozy, hearty meal that’s perfect with some crusty bread for dunking!
Enjoy this recipe? You might also like this Sausage Orzo Soup. this Sausage Tortellini Soup, or this Italian Wedding Soup!
This post is sponsored by Canadian Beans and I was compensated for my time spent creating this recipe. Thank you for supporting those that make The Recipe Rebel possible!
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It’s soup season, and if you’ve been around here before, you know that it’s one I look forward to!
This Tuscan White Bean Soup is just one more way we’re enjoying soup this fall.
It ticks all of my boxes for a great family dinner!
- it’s hearty and filling — on a cool day, we are always looking for comfort food to keep us going!
- It’s loaded with protein and fibre — thanks to Canadian beans and Italian sausage, we’ve got energy for the day and a well-balanced meal.
- It’s a great clean-out-the-fridge meal — we can add in different vegetables that need to be used up, or swap the sausage for cooked Shredded Chicken if we’ve got it!
- We can make it ahead — fall is the time of year where life gets back into full swing here, including after school activities and sports! We love meals that we can prep when we have time and enjoy later after a busy day.
I love using Canadian beans in this White Bean Soup because they are economical and provide great bang-for-your-buck nutrition-wise. Our kids love them and I know they’re getting everything they need for a busy week! (Check out this Pasta Fagioli next!)
Canned beans are one of our pantry staples and one of my favorite ways to make meals go a little further. Plus, they easily take on so many different flavors!
We love serving this soup with some of my Mom’s Homemade Buns or these Homemade Breadsticks for dunking!
Ingredients Needed:
- Italian sausage: you can use mild or spicy sausage according to your tastes. You can also opt for turkey or chicken sausage for a leaner option, or omit the sausage for a meatless meal.
- Carrots, celery and onion: a mirepoix forms the flavor base for many soups, this white bean soup included! They add flavor and loads of nutrients!
- Tomato paste: the tomato paste adds a hint of tomato flavor along with acidity. We sauté it first to liven up the flavor even more.
- Herbs and seasonings: I use a variety of dried herbs here because they are readily available. Feel free to customize the herbs and spices to your tastes!
- Broth: I use low sodium chicken broth for many of my soups as I prefer to add salt as needed to my tastes. If you are using a salted broth, you may want to omit the added salt and add to taste at the end. You can also opt for vegetable broth instead.
- White beans: I use canned (drained and rinsed) white kidney beans here. Any kind of canned beans will work! They add protein, fibre, and texture. (Got extra beans? Try this White Bean Soup with Bacon next!)
- Cream: a little heavy cream goes a long way. It balances out all the flavors and adds a bit of creaminess. I do not recommend low fat milk as it can curdle, but you could also use evaporated milk.
- Parmesan: adds salty, punchy flavor! You can omit or choose another hard shredded cheese if you prefer.
- Kale: kale adds freshness and rounds out this nutrient-loaded soup. You can swap for spinach, which offers many of the same benefits.
How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup:
This recipe is made in one pot and comes together quickly! Here are a few step-by-step photos to get you going. See the full recipe down in the recipe card.
- Brown the Italian sausage in a large soup pot. Leave the fat to cook the vegetables!
- Add the vegetables and cook just until crisp tender.
- Toast the herbs, spices, garlic and tomato paste to bring out the flavors.
- Add the broth and beans and simmer until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the cream, kale and parmesan just before serving.
- Taste and serve.
Can I make this soup ahead?
Absolutely! This is a great soup for making ahead because there is no pasta or rice which can become mushy after sitting. This soup only gets more flavorful as it sits! You can make this soup up to 4 days before serving it.
Can I freeze this White Bean Soup?
Also yes! I recommend freezing without the kale as it can take on a less desirable texture. You can freeze up to 6 months in an airtight container. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
How can I thicken this soup recipe?
You can thicken this soup by puréeing some of the beans and vegetables and stirring it back into the soup (before adding the kale and cream), or you can whisk 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch into the cream before stirring it into the soup.
Variations on this soup recipe:
- Lose the heat: If you have kids that don’t enjoy any heat, I recommend omitting the red pepper flakes and choosing mild sausage. If you want to go a step further, you can use regular lean ground pork instead of sausage (though you may want to increase the other seasonings).
- Lost the meat: you can easily make this a vegetarian meal by omitting the sausage and choosing vegetable broth and a vegetarian cheese. Feel free to increase the veg and seasonings to compensate!
- Lose the dairy: you can make this soup dairy-free by omitting the cream and cheese or choosing non-dairy options. I have not tested this recipe with non-dairy options, so I cannot say which will work best.
- Veg it up: feel free to add in even more vegetables if you want to clean out the fridge! Mushrooms, peppers, spinach and potatoes are more great options.
You might also like these cozy soups:
Tuscan White Bean Soup
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- ¾ lb ground Italian sausage (375 grams) mild or spicy
- 3 large carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 2 ribs celery (sliced)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional — will add spice)
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans white kidney beans (540 ml or 19 oz each)
- 2 cups fresh, chopped kale
- ½ cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar optional
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage and cook, stirring often, until light5ly browned.
- Add carrots, celery and onion and cook over medium-high heat until onion is softened and beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. (if there’s still a lot of excess fat after this point, you can dab some up with a paper towel if you prefer)
- Add the tomato paste, garlic, salt, thyme, oregano, parsley, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
- Add broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck on bits.
- Drain and rinse the beans. Add them to the soup and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in kale, cream and parmesan. Taste and add sugar if needed (it balances out the acidity of the tomato paste) and serve.
Notes
- Italian sausage: Italian sausage adds a ton of flavor! Feel free to swap for Italian turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter option or omit for a meatless version.
- Tomato paste: I love the flavor tomato paste adds (faintly but not overly tomato-y), but you can skip if you prefer or if you have allergies.
- Chicken broth: I always choose low or no-sodium broth and add salt as needed. Feel free to swap this for vegetable broth if desired.
- Kale: Kale is loaded with nutrition, but if you don’t enjoy it you can easily swap for spinach — just be sure to stir it in before serving.
- Cream or milk: Cream adds a touch of richness without being overpowering. For a lighter option, you can use evaporated milk. If you prefer, you can stir in 1 teaspoon of corn starch with the milk for a thicker soup.
Nutrition Information
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Kortni Pierre says
I have been wanting to make more souls this chilly season and this soup is perfect! This soup is so flavorful and the colors are stunning.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thank you Kortni!
Jen says
Looks and sounds delicious, but I really don’t like any kidney beans at all (major texture issues lol)
Would navy/great northern beans work instead?
I can also tolerate pinto, but I don’t know if they’d work.
Kortni Pierre says
Hi Jen! I used great northern beans and it came out beautifully!
Ann H says
This looks delish. I can’t wait to try it.
Madeleine says
My new favourite soup recipe!
Hanna Poscente says
Can I do this in a crockpot? Thank you!
The Recipe Rebel says
I think this would adapt to a slow cooker pretty easily. I’d probably still do step 2 and 3. Then add everything to the slow cooker for a few hours. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Jackie says
Excellent!
The Recipe Rebel says
Thank you!